General: Bark dark gray to dark brown, separated into small blocks by cinnamon-red bottomed furrows. A small to medium-sized tree native to the southern part of the State. Wood hard, tough, used chiefly for special products such as shuttles for weaving, spools, and golf-club heads.
COMMON PAWPAW
(Asimina triloba)
Leaves: Simple, alternate, 5″-12″ long, drooping; somewhat like the leaf of [cucumbertree magnolia]; dark green above, light green below; margins smooth or wavy.
Twigs: Olive-brown, enlarged at points where leaves are attached, somewhat hairy toward tips. Buds brown, hairy, not covered with scales.
Fruit: Looks like a short stubby banana, greenish yellow at first, brown when ripe in autumn, 3″-5″ long, edible; contains numerous brown, shiny seeds imbedded in the fragrant outer pulp. Flowers greenish-brown to purple, 1″ across, solitary, appear before the leaves.
General: Bark dark brown, thin, slightly fissured on older trees, often marked with white blotches. A small tree. Generally found in the understory of the forest in the southern half of the State on rich moist soil. The fruit is of more value than its wood which is sometimes used for fuel.
COMMON SASSAFRAS
(Sassafras albidum)
Leaves: Simple, alternate, 4″-6″ long, characteristically aromatic when crushed. Usually three types can be found on a tree: entire, 2-lobed and 3-lobed (rarely 5-lobed). Smooth, dark green above, much lighter beneath.